Former NFL great Brett Favre is cutting back on the time he
spends as a volunteer football coach at a Mississippi high school.

Favre served as Oak Grove High School's offensive
coordinator the last two seasons and helped guide the Warriors to a MHSAA Class
6A state championship last season. The two-time NFL MVP will still be around
the program, but will no longer serve in the capacity of offensive coordinator.

"It took up a lot of his
time, and he wants to be able to come and go," Oak Grove coach Nevil Barr told
The Hattiesburg American. "He wants to be able to travel to his daughter's
events, do more hunting, things like that. He's still going to be out there
helping us, but not as offensive coordinator."

The good news for Oak Grove is that while Favre cuts back on his commitment, another big name is stepping in.

Former Alabama head coach Ray Perkins, who most recently was head coach at Jones County Junior College, will serve as a volunteer assistant at the school this year. The Mississippi native had a 32-15-1 record during four seasons as Alabama's head coach. Perkins guided the Crimson Tide to three bowl games, but had the unenviable task of replacing legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant and left to be an NFL head coach in 1987.

"He's a guy who was one of my heroes growing up," Barr said. "He has a lot to offer the kids. I think he can be such a big influence on the kids, with his knowledge of the game, and of life.

"He's a good man, and he's doing this for the right reasons. He's doing it for the kids, to make a difference in kids' lives. It's the same for me. As long as I can make a difference for kids, I'll keep doing this."

How much time Perkins puts into coaching compared to what Favre did the last two years is unknown. Favre was unpaid as the
school's offensive coordinator, but was still expected to put in the same time
as the rest of the staff.

Favre's father, Big Irv, was a high school football
coach and he told The Clarion-Ledger last year that when he went to college he envisioned
himself as a special education teacher and high school coach. He admitted he had more of a laid-back approach than his father did.

"I don't beat the kids up,"
Favre told The Clarion-Ledger. "I never knock them down. I never pick on
them. I think a lot of coaches have done that. I don't believe in harassing,
hazing, bullying, any of those things. I believe in building them up with a lot
of confidence."